This study explores student perceptions of clinical teaching delivered at the Maurice Wohl Dental Centre, King's College London Dental Institute. An on-line survey together with two paper-based questionnaires were used to invite three immediate past cohorts of final-year dental students to reflect and comment on their experiences during their year of attendance. Supporting data from current student focus group and face-to-face interviews were also included in the study. The principal findings from these triangulated methodologies were that the overwhelming majority of students felt they got on very well with their teachers. The development of a positive professional relationship with the teacher appeared to motivate students to work better. Teaching thought to be overly didactic and authoritarian would not be well received. The principal teaching style identified at the Centre was considered to be supportive and nurturing, encouraging a self-motivated and reflective approach to clinical practice.

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This study demonstrated the need for formal teaching skills and training to be made available to part-time clinical teachers. Allied to this is the requirement for a clearly defined and achievable career pathway.

The aim of this study was to explore final-year student perceptions to the use of personal development diaries (PDDs) and to compare the findings with an established system of competitive continuous assessment, using open display of score ratings displayed on a clinic notice board. Focus groups in conjunction with personal development diaries (PDDs) were used to investigate the teaching of conservative dentistry to senior dental undergraduates. Thirty per cent of the statements made reference to the positive aspects of PDDs, while a small percentage (6%) was negative. Nineteen per cent of the comments derived from the focus groups showed that the undergraduates disliked the open display of their marks on the conservation clinic notice board. This compared with only 2% who claimed that they enjoyed the competitive method. A further 22% of the comments related to the fact that open display of marks was stressful, whereas 3% were unaffected. Eighteen per cent of the responses indicated that clinical conservative dentistry was a stressful experience.

This study explores the selective use of video as a medium to support reflective processes as related to dental undergraduate learning. With the objective of developing and enhancing high-quality adult dental care, the use of compiled video materials created in an undergraduate clinical setting was investigated. Video cameras were used to capture elements of reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action typically found during everyday clinical practice. 'Gold standard' or 'textbook outcomes' are rarely, if ever, fully achieved in dental practice. Real-life clinical experiences offer challenges and opportunities for both teachers and students to engage with reflective learning processes. The materials generated allowed for an experience of individual reflective learning and the creation of a data bank or archive with potential use for the benefit of a wider student cohort. Various aspects of the students' views and comments on the process of reflection were reported and explored by means of a semi-structured focus group moderated by a linked educational advisor.